What is Biblical Kosher ?

Messianic Homeschooling & Hebrew Roots Homeschool Curriculum 0 What is Biblical Kosher? Posted on February 22, 2015 by Joel Allen 22 FEB What is Biblical Kosher? Biblical Kosher is defined by the Scriptures in the Torah (First five books of the Bible) and not by a set of traditions or man-made rules. Specifically, the parameters for Kosher are outlined in Leviticus 11:46-47 “This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.” The Hebrew word for “clean” is not Kosher. The Hebrew word for clean is tahowr which simply means pure or has gone through a process of purification. Just because an animal is considered “clean” doesn’t make it proper food for consumption. In other words, a cow standing in the field is not “clean” until it is properly slaughtered and the blood drained from the meat before cooking and eating. There is a process of purification that happens in the life cycle of the “clean” animal from slaughter (death) to a proper and fit meal or offering. Tahowr or clean is the opposite of tame’ or unclean which simply means impure or defiled. So what does the term kosher mean and where did it come from? Kosher is derived from the Hebrew word “kasher,” which means “proper” or “pure” and has the same base definition as tahowr. How do I know if foods from the store that I buy are kosher or not? Food products distributed to grocery stores come from manufacturers who will either adhere to the strict demands of kosher preparation of the foods or they will not. In order to be certified kosher a facility cannot prepare or package unclean products with the same machinery as is used for clean foods. This would make the clean foods unclean according to scripture. “And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.” (Lev. 11:35) If companies adhere to this principle and are monitored by kosher Rabbis then they put a symbol on the packaging to let consumers know it is kosher. Here are a few common symbols you can look for: Many times companies cannot afford to pay the high prices of being certified with a symbol so if there are any questions on whether they still adhere to these principles you can always call the company and ask them. Clean animals according to scripture: 1. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. (Lev. 11:3) Common sources of food that meet this criteria is beef, lamb, goat, venison, and buffalo. Pigs do have a split hoof but they do not chew the cud so they are unclean while rabbits chew the cud but do not have a split hoof so they are also unclean. 2. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. (Lev. 11:9) Many varieties of fish may be eaten such as salmon, trout, tuna, haddock, and all fish that have both fins and scales. Seafood is not clean because they do not have fins and scales. Shrimp are often referred to as cockroaches of the sea. They clean up the sea like a filter and hold in all of the poisons and toxins. Most fish like carp and catfish that do not have scales are bottom feeders and clean up the waters. Would you eat a pool filter and call it food? 3. All fowls or birds are clean except the: Eagle, Ossifrage, Ospray, Vulture, Kite (all kinds), Raven (all kinds), Owl, Night Hawk, Cuckow, Hawk (all kinds), Cormorant, Great Owl, Swan, Pelican, Gier Eagle, Stork, Heron (all Kinds), Lapwing, and the Bat. 4. All insects are unclean except… “the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.” (Lev. 11:22) What is NOT kosher law: 1. Mixing dairy and meat products- This concept derived from the Torah passages that speak of not boiling a kid (baby goat) in its mother’s milk (Exo. 23:19/ Exo. 34:26) This is clearly not a part of the regular dietary law as it is spoken of in the context of giving tithes of the land and not clean and unclean eating. Yahweh wanted to make a difference between His people, Israel, and the pagan nations around them who gathered the harvest in their temples and then offered a kid boiled in its mother’s milk to their pagan gods. He wanted them to not learn the way of the heathen (Jer. 10:2) and adopt it in their time of bringing in the tithes of the harvest. 2. Eating foods not blessed by a Rabbi- Something is not made clean simply by the blessing of a Rabbi otherwise Yahweh would have told everyone to bring their food to Aaron and Moses to bless before they ate it. This is leaven from the Pharisees that makes you believe that you must go to a man to receive instruction and blessing rather than seeking out the clear answers in Torah yourself. This is no different than putting unclean meats on your dinner plate and praying to the God of Israel to bless it to your body. Common arguments against eating Kosher: 1. Eating Kosher was done away with when Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross. 2. Eating Kosher is for the Jews only. 3. Eating Kosher may have physical benefits but it is not sinning in any way. 4. Eating Kosher was done away with when Simon Keefa (Peter) received the vision in Acts 10. 5. What about Mark 7:15? 6. What about Romans 14? Facts about Kosher eating: 1. Eating Kosher was done away with when Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross. Yeshua (Jesus) did not come to bring any new laws or somehow change Torah law. He spoke it clearly and without doubt in Matthew 5:17-19 “(17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Kosher eating is a big part of the Torah/Law and so Yeshua said he would not change one jot or tittle of it as a result of His ministry on the earth. In fact the heaven and the earth would pass away first. Go outside and look up at the sky right now. Is there a sky? Jump up and down on the ground and really make sure that it is there. Is the earth still there? Then the Torah including Kosher is still in effect! <